Islamabad (GNP): The Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2026 (PMIF26) ended in Islamabad on Friday with 13 investment agreements and memorandums of understanding (MoUs). The two-day event also brought announcements of new mineral discoveries in Balochistan.
More than 10,000 participants from over 60 countries attended the final day. They included investors, diplomats, industry leaders, policymakers and technical experts, and their presence reflected Pakistan’s push to become a competitive destination for long-term mineral investment.
That ambition was backed by exploration news. The Frontier Works Organization (FWO) reported an estimated 350 million tonnes of copper in the Dasht-e-Kain area of Balochistan’s Chagai district.
The figure is based on roughly half of the drilling data analyzed so far. It is an emerging geological estimate, not a formally established commercial reserve.
Other companies added to the picture. Mari Minerals announced its first gold and copper reserves in Balochistan. National Resources Limited (NRL) reported copper and gold mineralization across at least eight porphyry discoveries in Chagai after drilling nearly 25,000 meters, and it announced a $100 million investment commitment in Pakistan’s mineral sector.
The business side of the forum moved in the same direction. The 13 agreements between Pakistani and international companies cover geoscientific cooperation, mining project development, mineral exploration, airborne geophysical surveys and advanced exploration technologies.
They also include plans for a commercial minerals laboratory and cooperation on ambient noise tomography, a geophysical technique used to study underground geological structures.
To help investors act on this information, the forum launched two data platforms. These are the National Minerals Database and Data Centre Portal and the Geological Survey of Pakistan (GSP) GeoPortal.
PMIF President Ahmed Hayat Lak, who is also Managing Director and CEO of Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL), described them as milestones for access to geological data and transparency. He said they would help investors make informed decisions on exploration and mining.
Policy was central to the program as well. The forum held 13 technical sessions, panels and roundtables, along with eight strategic discussions on the policy, institutional, financial and technological needs of a competitive mining industry.
Those discussions covered turning provincial mineral potential into economic gains, mobilizing capital for early-stage exploration and strengthening the institutional capacity of the GSP. They also covered developing a future-ready workforce and increasing women’s participation in the sector.
A government dialogue on investor-ready mining jurisdictions examined policy certainty, regional cooperation, local content and skills development.
Industry leaders added an international perspective. Barrick Mining Corporation Chairman John L. Thornton, Ivanhoe Mines Executive Chairman Robert Friedland and Minmetals Central & South Asia Vice President Wang Jicheng addressed the forum.
A session titled “License to Deliver: Building Trust, Infrastructure & Export Corridors” looked at security, environmental and social standards, transport links, power and water supply and logistics. Its message was that discoveries alone cannot guarantee successful mining projects without supporting infrastructure and regulatory certainty.
Alongside the strategic talks, a technical conference covered geological characterization, exploration, artificial intelligence, mineral processing and investment readiness. The exhibition, with 122 exhibitors, gave domestic and international companies a place to showcase projects, equipment and services and to build business contacts across the mineral value chain.
Also Read: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Demands Debt-Free Climate Aid At COP31
In his concluding address, Lak said investor confidence depends on consistency, transparency and the government’s ability to keep its commitments. He said the forum’s success should be judged by partnerships advanced, projects developed and investments realized, not by the number of discussions or signed agreements.
Drawing on OGDCL’s experience in the energy sector, he added that geological potential alone does not deliver commercial success. In his view, technical excellence, patient investment, strong partnerships and effective execution are equally essential.
Lak said the work begun at PMIF26 would continue, with the next edition, scheduled for November 2027, offering a chance to review progress on the commitments made in Islamabad. He urged participants to return to demonstrate tangible progress rather than only to discuss new opportunities.
Lak said, “Pakistan’s mineral wealth is a gift of nature,” adding that turning it into lasting prosperity is a collective responsibility.
Managing Editor at Global News Pakistan (GNP), with a Bachelor's degree in International Relations from Riphah International University, graduated with a Gold Medal. Reach out at sabahtareengnp@gmail.com
